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'Veedee' vibratory massager, Germany, 1900-1930

The ‘Veedee’ vibratory massager claimed to cure colds, digestive complaints and flatulence through ‘curative vibration’. It is seen here with its original box and two attachments. Instructions on the box state there was almost nothing the German-made ‘Veedee’ vibrator could not cure. The name is thought to be a pun on the Latin term, ‘Veni Vidi Vici’. This means ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’. During the late 1800s, massage was considered effective for combating almost any affliction. These ranged from headaches to female ‘hysteria’. A huge array of massage tools such as this example were advertised in magazines and newspapers.